New Ulm weekly review., 1887-02-23
HUSBAND AND LOVER.

tn year lost my mother, but the
poignancy of my childish grief was in
some measure alleviated when six
months later my father brought me
a little playmate of my own age. She
was his ward, and we grew from child
hood to girlhood beneath the same
roof, and for my part I can say !
loved Natalie Chester as sister.
How beautiful she was, in the first
flush OF her peerless womanhood.
II wonder will he be her latest con-
quest?" 1 asked myself, when for the
first time L1ndon Stafford and she
stood face to face. He was my faith
er's young assistant, and perhaps the
only man she ever met who, pan
oplied in the armor of cold indifer-
ence, seemed insensible to her charms.
And know this Indifference piqued a
vanity the fattery OF many tongues
tanned into q passion.
: "Does it not occur to you, MYRTLE"
she said to me one afternoon, "that
our young doctor is a. man of singu-
larly phlegmatlc temperament"
''He has never made love to you,
Natalie," I answered dryly. s'Yet it
ought to be q novel sensation to
meet g. man who does not fall in love
and worship you"
reorfad toe snSeks wth ushed h aa5 n,htly oa but she
not be more novel sensation still to
constrain him into idolatry. They
say that natures the least demonsta-
tive are capable of the strongest feel
ings, and that the spark once applied
to the latent tire you are treated to a
confagration."
!, She spoke lightly, but the glance
that flashed from the dusky beauty OF
her eyes convinced me that if all the
devices OF fascinating woman did
not fail her she would bring Lindon
Stafford to her feet. I. who watched
Mr.. Stafford keenly, saw that he was
struggling with a passion that he
felt would only bring him unhappi-
ness. But tha hour had come
when strong mems souls would be
tried in the crucible of a. great
affection, and Lindon Stafford, stand
Ing face to face with uncompromising
necessity, dare no longer fritter away
existence in a dream of love. The
terrible scourge OF yellow fever had
spept over Memphis. and within a
week it presented all the appearance of
a city of the dead. In their abiect
terror the people fed they cared not
whittier, and fear sor the time being
crushed all the nobler instincts OF
humanity from hearts where craven
selhshness predominated. My fathers
first thought was for Natalie's safety
and mine, and to this end he telegraph
ed to Miss Chester's other guardian
who was then a resident in anorthern
state. IA due time that gentleman
arrived to carry his beautiful ward
and me far from the reach OF the i'm
pending danger, but no remonstrance,
no entreaty, could induce nae to de-
sert what | conceived to be my post
Of duty. Shall l ever forget that night
when Natalie left us. Before bidding
her good-by I had hurried upstairs
for a parcel she had forgotten, and in
returning in a minute Or so to find
DR.. Stafford in the room, I paused
outside the door,
''Intended to say farewell" she said
as, with downcast eyes, she held out
her hand.
You must think me very cowardly
to flee from danger while Myrtle insists
Oh remaining
"Miss Crais's place is by her fathers
side" he answered; "but it would be
worse than madness in your friends
to allow you to incur risks that could
bring no possible good to any one.
And then you are to young and beau
tiful to die"
And if this partiug should be for
ever what would you say to me, Mr..
Staford?'
II would say farewell-only fare.
WELL he replied, evasively, as he re-
leased her hand. Her eyes looked IN
to his, and a cry escaped him as he
caught her in his arms, and If a mans
love ever went out to q woman it was
IN that lingering kiss he pressed upon
her lips. turned away, and, with
trembling limbs and sinking heart,
stole quietly upstairs. For I had
learned to love this man even with a
hopelessness that intensified passion
Wnlch nad dchanSedtne current OF my lie
into q achannel whose source was bitter
, oess and SORROW. am notgoing o lin
ger over the days that followed when.
as an hospital nurse, ] tried to forget
my folly. Within two weeks the sum-
mons came to the only one that loved
ne, and l was an orphan. DR.. Stat
sord was also stricken down, and I
aursed him through his illness to re-
covery, and dwhen the scourge at length
aad passed away, I found myself
alone and almost friendless In the
world One day Lindon Stafford,
while still pale and ,emaciated, came
30 me and asked me to be his wife l
knew too we'll he did not love ME. I
knew his every thought was with the
beautiful Natalie ia her northern
nome; but, oh, my God! I could not
let him leaveme, and in the blind fatal
sm OF a wnalan's love [ cheated nv
4. u. i. L